Second annual Dewey Hall Dahlia Festival
Sheffield— On Sunday September 15th from noon to 4 p.m., Dewey Hall presents its second annual Dahlia Festival.
Come view the visually stunning display of dahlias submitted for the homegrown dahlia contest, peruse gorgeous bouquets available for purchase at the bouquet bar, and enjoy floral foods and beverages. There will also be facepainting, an assortment of local vendors, a garden information booth, and a raffle of fabulous horticultural prizes. Harpist Marie Hamilton will provide live harp music to accompany the event.
There will also be workshops including “Floral Arranging with Dahlias” with Wenonah Webster, “Biodegradable Flower Crown Making” with Clara Stickney, and “Overwintering your Dahlia Tubers” with Rebecca Klingabiel.
The event is on Sunday September 15th from noon to 4 p.m. at Dewey Memorial Hall at 91 Main Street in Sheffield. More information (including how to enter the homegrown Dahlia contest) can be found online.
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David M. Hunt Library presents ‘Cigar Box Tradition Redux,’ a group art exhibition
Falls Village, Conn.— From August 23rd through September 20th, the David M. Hunt Library will host “Cigar Box Tradition Redux,” a group exhibition of over 30 local artists’ transformations of the titular box into objet d’art.
The exhibition is curated by Lilly Woodworth and Garth Kobal, who has been organizing Hunt Library’s group exhibitions since 2011. An earlier edition of the show took place in 2016, at which time Woodworth said, “We thought, what a great idea. We’ll open it up to the community, for people who like to play.” Kobal added, “This year’s exhibition upholds that tradition with a lot of fun, uncommon artworks made with commonplace materials.”
The exhibit runs from August 23rd through September 20th at the David M. Hunt Library at 63 Main Street in Falls Village, Conn. There will be an opening reception on Saturday, August 31st from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. More information can be found online.
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Berkshire Theatre Group presents ‘The Ivy League of Comedy Show’ at The Colonial Theatre
Pittsfield— On Friday, September 13th at 7:30 p.m., Berkshire Theatre Group presents “The Ivy League of Comedy Show” at The Colonial Theatre.
Known for their elite brand of clever comedy, the members of The Ivy League of Comedy can be seen on late-night TV, Comedy Central and now on stage at the Colonial. This hilarious comedy show features original, well-written comedy that doesn’t resort to playing on stereotypes or picking on the audience.
Al Lubel, who initially became a lawyer to please his mother, soon transitioned to stand up comedy to her dismay. Starting his comedy career by performing unannounced in restaurants, he quickly gained traction in comedy clubs and won the $100,000 Comedy Grand Prize on television’s “Star Search.” Lubel fulfilled his childhood dream of performing on “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson and later appeared on the shows hosted by Jay Leno and David Letterman. He was featured in the BBC documentary “A Standup Life.” His life and career are highlighted in the documentary “Mentally Al,” which won awards at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and is available on Amazon Prime and YouTube.
Pittsfield native Karen Rontowski is known for her fast-paced, quirky and charmingly optimistic comedy, which has graced clubs, TV, radio and corporate events worldwide. Her stand-up features endearing, self-effacing and intelligent characters, blending her comedic talent with her skills as a Paranormal Investigator, Tarot, and Reiki master. She has appeared on “The Late Show” with David Letterman, Comedy Central and has a popular Dry Bar Comedy Special titled “Ridiculous Me,” with a second special on the way.
Shaun Eli is celebrated as one of America’s smartest comedians, known for finding hilarity in everyday experiences. Whether recounting a story about dining with a vegetarian or fighting a parking ticket in criminal court, his masterful storytelling and comedic perspective reveal the humor in the ordinary. With a cheerful and universal sense of humor, he has headlined shows on five continents and was profiled in The New York Times in 2021. His comedic insights into job interviews, the Ten Commandments, and more demonstrate his ability to entertain with witty and relatable tales.
The show is on Friday, September 13th at 7:30 p.m. at The Colonial Theatre on South Street in Pittsfield. More information can be found online.
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OLLI at BCC and Housatonic Heritage presents ‘Walking Tours: Indian Town, Stockbridge’
Stockbridge— Indian Town was chartered in 1737 as a mission to the Mohican tribe to teach them English, Christianity, and English agricultural practices. Recently, the Stockbridge-Munsee community in Wisconsin worked with Housatonic Heritage and other local partners to create a tour of the most important Mohican sites along the main street of Stockbridge.
Trained by one of the creators of the walking tour, OLLI members will lead participants along Main Street to learn about the Mohicans, who lived in what is now Stockbridge for thousands of years along with aspects of their culture which are still present today. Stops include the Carriage Barn at the Mission House, the burial grounds and the site of the 2021 archeological dig for the Mohican meeting house.
The walks are on September 8th at 1 p.m., September 14th and 21st at 10 a.m., and October 6th at 1 p.m. The walks are approximately 1.5 miles round trip on accessible sidewalks. Participants should be prepared to be walking and standing for about two hours. More information can be found online.
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Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area announces the 22nd annual autumn Housatonic Heritage Walks
Berkshires and Litchfield, Conn.— The Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area announces the 22nd annual autumn Housatonic Heritage Walks in September. 70 free, guided interpretive tours will be offered throughout the Berkshires, as well as Litchfield County, Conn.
The public is invited to participate in these family-oriented interpretive walks offered in partnership with our region’s historic, cultural, and outdoor recreation organizations and the National Park Service.
Historians, naturalists, and environmentalists will lead participants on explorations through historic estate gardens and town districts, behind-the-scenes cultural site tours, nature walks, trail hikes, and tours of many of the industrial-site ruins that were once thriving local industries. There will be Native-American and African American history walks, as well as a bike tour on scenic country roads.
Detailed Heritage Walks brochures are available at libraries, post offices, and newspaper racks in major grocery stores in the region. The schedule is also available online. To request a brochure by mail, email programs@housatonicheritage.org.
